This study proposes to use a Spanish-speaking Promotora (community health worker) to improve heath outcomes for Hispanic men and women with type 2 diabetes who live in Webb County (TX) along the Texas-Mexico border, a medically underserved area with high poverty and low educational rates. The 6-month intervention study compares knowledge, beliefs, and HbA1c levels among 160 Mexican American patients with type 2 diabetes who receive usual care with those who receive a 30 week promotora-led intervention, which includes a 10-week self-management program, between session telephone calls, and a bi-weekly support group over 20 weeks. The Promotora are employees of the clinic, who work collaboratively with the Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE), a physician, and nurses to achieve the desired outcomes. The specific aims are 1) increase the patient's knowledge about diabetes and its management, 2) strengthen the patient's beliefs about his/her ability to manage diabetes and 3) reach an optimal HbA1c level. The outcome variables of knowledge, beliefs, and HbA1c will be collected at baseline, 3 months and 6 months by a Spanish-speaking interviewer and laboratory technician who are masked to the group assignment. SAS software will be used to conduct growth curve analyses. [unreadable] [unreadable]